First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Receives Consensus Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts maintain a cautiously positive outlook: Thirty-five firms give First Solar a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating, with an average 12-month price target of $254.89 versus the stock’s $239.33 opening price.
• First Solar’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with EPS of $3.92 versus the $2.90 consensus and revenue of $1.06 billion. However, revenue declined 3.4% year over year, and the shares were trading down 4.3%.
• Insider selling and policy uncertainty remain risks: Insiders sold $7.1 million of stock over the past 90 days, while investors continue to assess the timing of benefits from U.S. tariffs and minimum-price measures affecting imported solar materials.

First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) has been assigned an average recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from the thirty-five research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating, twenty have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $254.8903.

Several brokerages have recently weighed in on FSLR. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of First Solar in a research note on Monday, July 20th. Susquehanna increased their price objective on First Solar from $250.00 to $270.00 and gave the stock a "positive" rating in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on First Solar from $230.00 to $245.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 9th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their target price on First Solar from $252.00 to $237.00 and set a "market perform" rating on the stock in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their price target on First Solar from $300.00 to $310.00 in a report on Friday, May 1st.

First Solar Trading Down 4.3%

First Solar stock opened at $239.33 on Tuesday. The stock has a market cap of $25.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.55 and a beta of 1.76. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $239.72 and a 200-day simple moving average of $225.11. First Solar has a 12-month low of $176.47 and a 12-month high of $320.95.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, July 30th. The solar cell manufacturer reported $3.92 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $1.02. First Solar had a return on equity of 18.02% and a net margin of 32.47%.The business had revenue of $1.06 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.06 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $3.18 EPS. The business's quarterly revenue was down 3.4% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that First Solar will post 17.75 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at First Solar

In other news, insider Caroline Stockdale sold 10,628 shares of First Solar stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $275.60, for a total value of $2,929,076.80. Following the sale, the insider owned 23,792 shares of the company's stock, valued at $6,557,075.20. The trade was a 30.88% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, insider Michael Koralewski sold 7,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $221.51, for a total transaction of $1,550,570.00. Following the transaction, the insider owned 7,642 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,692,779.42. This trade represents a 47.81% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders have sold 28,579 shares of company stock worth $7,084,044 in the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 0.39% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On First Solar

Institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. acquired a new position in First Solar during the second quarter worth about $3,310,298,000. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of First Solar by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,919,991 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock valued at $761,396,000 after acquiring an additional 24,206 shares during the period. Viking Global Investors LP boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 60.6% during the 2nd quarter. Viking Global Investors LP now owns 2,266,050 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $375,122,000 after acquiring an additional 854,919 shares in the last quarter. Amundi boosted its stake in shares of First Solar by 9.4% during the 4th quarter. Amundi now owns 2,215,461 shares of the solar cell manufacturer's stock worth $578,791,000 after acquiring an additional 189,626 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of First Solar in the 4th quarter worth approximately $392,040,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 92.08% of the company's stock.

More First Solar News

Here are the key news stories impacting First Solar this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Recent analyst actions were supportive: HSBC upgraded First Solar, while another analyst raised the price target to $313. The broader analyst consensus remains cautiously optimistic, with several targets above the current trading range. First Solar Upgraded at HSBC First Solar Price Target Raised to $313
• Positive Sentiment: First Solar reported higher second-quarter 2026 earnings, record quarterly and first-half sales volume, reaffirmed full-year guidance and maintained a 45.1-gigawatt backlog. New U.S. tariffs and minimum-price measures on imported polysilicon-related products could improve the competitive position of domestic manufacturers over time. First Solar’s Profit Engine Faces a New Policy Test in Washington
• Neutral Sentiment: The tariff framework appears strategically favorable, but analysts note that the impact may be staged rather than immediate. Investors are therefore reassessing the timing of stronger pricing power, customer purchasing and project starts. First Solar Slides as Tariff Euphoria Fades
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms publicized a securities class action involving investors who purchased FSLR shares between February 26, 2025, and February 24, 2026. The August 24 lead-plaintiff deadline increases litigation visibility, although the notices do not establish wrongdoing. Rosen Law Firm Securities Action Notice
• Negative Sentiment: Reported trading data showed extensive insider selling, with no insider purchases during the past six months. Institutional ownership data also showed more investors reducing positions than adding shares, reinforcing near-term selling pressure.

First Solar Company Profile

First Solar, Inc NASDAQ: FSLR is a United States–based solar technology company best known for designing and manufacturing thin‑film photovoltaic (PV) modules that use cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor technology. The company supplies PV modules and delivers integrated solar power solutions for utility‑scale projects, positioning itself as a provider of both components and complete solar energy systems rather than solely a parts supplier. First Solar was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Beyond module manufacturing, First Solar offers a range of project services including development support, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services, and operations and maintenance (O&M) for large-scale solar installations.

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